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Hope Cove #1
Brokenhearted
6 hrs 17 min
Oliver Parrish has been alone in the world since he was born. So when Sheriff Owen “Mack” Macklin shows up on his doorstep to deliver the news that Oliver's sister has died, he's beyond surprised. Still, Oliver returns with Mack to Hope Cove, Maine, hoping to get to know the sister he never knew he had. As he tries to snap these new elements into his solitary life, he's not sure how they might fit.
His life is shaken up further as he falls in love with the irresistible town of Hope Cove, and with Mack, its equally irresistible sheriff. But when he receives devastating news about his sister's cause of death, Oliver doesn't know whether to stay and fight for love and a good life, or cut his losses and run.
Oliver Parrish has been alone in the world since he was born. So when Sheriff Owen “Mack” Macklin shows up on his doorstep to deliver the news that Oliver's sister has died, he's beyond surprised. Still, Oliver returns with Mack to Hope Cove, Maine, hoping to get to know the sister he never knew he had. As he tries to snap these new elements into his solitary life, he's not sure how they might fit.
His life is shaken up further as he falls in love with the irresistible town of Hope Cove, and with Mack, its equally irresistible sheriff. But when he receives devastating news about his sister's cause of death, Oliver doesn't know whether to stay and fight for love and a good life, or cut his losses and run.
6 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 7, 2013
64 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
About the author
Cate Ashwood
53 books504 followersCate discovered her love for books of all kinds early on, but romance is where her heart truly lies. She is addicted to the happily ever afters and the journey the characters take to get there. Currently residing in British Columbia, Cate loves living just a stone's throw from the water. When she's not writing, she can be found consuming coffee at an alarming rate while wrangling her children, her husband, and their two cats.
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June 11, 2018No rating.
Its me!!not the book.
You know it is time to:
Issa DNF.
Time of surrender at 55% when the first sex scene did nothing to my body.
And I read the other reviews plus spoilers, and there is some unnecessary miscommunication happening towards the end, so I know I am not missing anything. Me and miscommunication don’t match. And after reading so many books where characters talk instead of running or giving each other the silent treatment I don’t think I can stand this.
-The GFY is one of my favorite trope but here I found it unbelievable.
-I am all for INSTA-STUFF, as long as it is done right. Ok not really, I can stand Insta-lust that turns into more. But not Insta love. You meet someone on day one and by day 2 you are falling in-love. Ummm!
-I don’t like it when characters, tell other characters that they can tell how they feel.
Example:
“Really?” said Declan with a sigh. He lowered his voice to just barely a whisper. “You’re going to pretend you’re not halfway in love with him?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh no? I had dinner with you guys the other night, remember? If the awkwardness of me being there wasn’t enough, I saw the way you look at him. I know you have feelings for him. Maybe you’re not in love with him yet, but you’re well on your way.”
“Look, I don’t know exactly what’s going on between you and Mack, and I’m not going to pry. I haven’t known the guy long and I’ve only just met you, but I can tell you have feelings for him, and from what I can tell, you might not be so alone in that.
And do people talk like this to someone they have just met.
You’re new.” He turned to find a man, roughly his age, staring at him.
“Uh, yeah. Hi. Oliver,” he introduced himself as he extended his hand toward the stranger.
“Haydn,” the man replied, shaking Oliver’s hand firmly. “Ooh, nice grip. I love a man with good hands,” he cooed.
“Not too much fresh meat comes through here man. It’s nice to see a pretty face in the crowd. So what’s your deal anyway?” Haydn asked. “Gay? Straight? Bi? Single? Married? What?”
I have only read one book by this author and loved it and will read more.
Maybe this was among her first mm books and she was still green, or it was just me.
Its me!!not the book.
You know it is time to:
Issa DNF.
Time of surrender at 55% when the first sex scene did nothing to my body.
And I read the other reviews plus spoilers, and there is some unnecessary miscommunication happening towards the end, so I know I am not missing anything. Me and miscommunication don’t match. And after reading so many books where characters talk instead of running or giving each other the silent treatment I don’t think I can stand this.
-The GFY is one of my favorite trope but here I found it unbelievable.
-I am all for INSTA-STUFF, as long as it is done right. Ok not really, I can stand Insta-lust that turns into more. But not Insta love. You meet someone on day one and by day 2 you are falling in-love. Ummm!
-I don’t like it when characters, tell other characters that they can tell how they feel.
Example:
“Really?” said Declan with a sigh. He lowered his voice to just barely a whisper. “You’re going to pretend you’re not halfway in love with him?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh no? I had dinner with you guys the other night, remember? If the awkwardness of me being there wasn’t enough, I saw the way you look at him. I know you have feelings for him. Maybe you’re not in love with him yet, but you’re well on your way.”
“Look, I don’t know exactly what’s going on between you and Mack, and I’m not going to pry. I haven’t known the guy long and I’ve only just met you, but I can tell you have feelings for him, and from what I can tell, you might not be so alone in that.
And do people talk like this to someone they have just met.
You’re new.” He turned to find a man, roughly his age, staring at him.
“Uh, yeah. Hi. Oliver,” he introduced himself as he extended his hand toward the stranger.
“Haydn,” the man replied, shaking Oliver’s hand firmly. “Ooh, nice grip. I love a man with good hands,” he cooed.
“Not too much fresh meat comes through here man. It’s nice to see a pretty face in the crowd. So what’s your deal anyway?” Haydn asked. “Gay? Straight? Bi? Single? Married? What?”
I have only read one book by this author and loved it and will read more.
Maybe this was among her first mm books and she was still green, or it was just me.
May 7, 2025
Let's start with: I like the author; she has a way with words that really appeals to me.
Hmm, I chose this book as something light to read in between another book and used it as a break from a difficult reading.
The circumstances for reading this book were therefore not ideal.
One of the elements of the plot here is a lack of communication between the main characters. Another element is that one of the main characters is still in the closet.
Neither of these are my favorite things. I honestly don't know why I chose this book.
But I love small town stories.
A lot of this story was wonderful.
I especially love pretty much every passage that involves the dog.
I love every scene that has to do with cooking and baking.
The sex scenes were excellent. There is also a bit of hurt and comfort. There is some unnecessary drama and a breakup. Fortunately, other characters do not play any significant role here.
What I felt was missing, and this is reflected in my rating, was a little more emotion at the beginning. I couldn't empathize with Oliver very well because the story is simply too short. His background is missing, and I can't understand why he reacts the way he does in some situations.
It's possible that the one-sided narrative, told solely from his perspective, contributes to the negative impression. Later on, the narrative improved; it felt more fluid and coherent.
Well, I wanted something light, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I got a story with no depth.
But it's still a good story. Maybe too much was cut at the beginning? Who knows...
“I’ve never felt this way about a man before, but I’ve never felt this way about a woman, either. There is something about you, Oliver Parrish. I love how I feel when I’m with you.”
Oliver stroked Mack’s hair as he talked, content to listen to him say all the things he felt he needed to get off his mind. “I’m feeling so out of my element here, I can’t even tell you. I feel like a total idiot saying all this stuff, but I feel like you need to know it. I’m not ready yet to tell other people, and I don’t know when I will be. I hope that’s not totally unfair to you. All I mean is that for however long you’re here, I want to see where this goes.” 💗😢💗
Hmm, I chose this book as something light to read in between another book and used it as a break from a difficult reading.
The circumstances for reading this book were therefore not ideal.
One of the elements of the plot here is a lack of communication between the main characters. Another element is that one of the main characters is still in the closet.
Neither of these are my favorite things. I honestly don't know why I chose this book.
But I love small town stories.
A lot of this story was wonderful.
I especially love pretty much every passage that involves the dog.
I love every scene that has to do with cooking and baking.
The sex scenes were excellent. There is also a bit of hurt and comfort. There is some unnecessary drama and a breakup. Fortunately, other characters do not play any significant role here.
What I felt was missing, and this is reflected in my rating, was a little more emotion at the beginning. I couldn't empathize with Oliver very well because the story is simply too short. His background is missing, and I can't understand why he reacts the way he does in some situations.
It's possible that the one-sided narrative, told solely from his perspective, contributes to the negative impression. Later on, the narrative improved; it felt more fluid and coherent.
Well, I wanted something light, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I got a story with no depth.
But it's still a good story. Maybe too much was cut at the beginning? Who knows...
“I’ve never felt this way about a man before, but I’ve never felt this way about a woman, either. There is something about you, Oliver Parrish. I love how I feel when I’m with you.”
Oliver stroked Mack’s hair as he talked, content to listen to him say all the things he felt he needed to get off his mind. “I’m feeling so out of my element here, I can’t even tell you. I feel like a total idiot saying all this stuff, but I feel like you need to know it. I’m not ready yet to tell other people, and I don’t know when I will be. I hope that’s not totally unfair to you. All I mean is that for however long you’re here, I want to see where this goes.” 💗😢💗
November 22, 2013
I really liked Keeping Sweets by this author so I was excited when I heard another one of her books was coming out. I didn't like this quite as much as "Keeping Sweets" but it was still a pleasant read.
The theme is a cute one that gets me every time: A gay man finding acceptance and love in a small town (cue "awwwwws"). These types of stories just make my heart do a happy dance! The setting was sweet and New Englandy and I was expecting a great story. However, it had a few flaws that knocked this one down a couple of stars.
Oliver is a likable MC (who doesn't like a hot chef?) and I thought that he had good chemistry with Mack, but he was prone to miscommunications more often than I cared for. Mack... ugh I wish we had his side of the story as well. This book could have really benefited from a duel POV. I also had some issues with the GFY/OFY aspect of the story. I actually thought that it read false- too confident and practiced for my liking. However, I really enjoyed the side characters. Haydn (that spelling killed me but I guess it is after the composer) and Jeremy were strong and I think that Haydn will make a great MC for the next in the series.
Though this book had some problems for me (pacing, character issues), the plot-line resonated with me and I liked it overall.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
The theme is a cute one that gets me every time: A gay man finding acceptance and love in a small town (cue "awwwwws"). These types of stories just make my heart do a happy dance! The setting was sweet and New Englandy and I was expecting a great story. However, it had a few flaws that knocked this one down a couple of stars.
Oliver is a likable MC (who doesn't like a hot chef?) and I thought that he had good chemistry with Mack, but he was prone to miscommunications more often than I cared for. Mack... ugh I wish we had his side of the story as well. This book could have really benefited from a duel POV. I also had some issues with the GFY/OFY aspect of the story. I actually thought that it read false- too confident and practiced for my liking. However, I really enjoyed the side characters. Haydn (that spelling killed me but I guess it is after the composer) and Jeremy were strong and I think that Haydn will make a great MC for the next in the series.
Though this book had some problems for me (pacing, character issues), the plot-line resonated with me and I liked it overall.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
November 8, 2013
I read and loved this author's Keeping Sweets so when I saw she had a new story out I was excited to read it.
Oliver has grown up in the foster care system, he is alone and that's pretty much the way he wants it. At least that is what he thinks he wants.
He has never allowed himself to get close to anyone, never had a family or even any friends really.
What he does have is a love for cooking and dreams of having his own restaurant one day.
“Cooking was all Oliver was good at—all he lived for—it had been his rescuer when he had been at his lowest, and it was his salvation now.”
Then Mack shows up telling him he had a sister and that everything she had is now his, it turns his world upside down.
He travels to Hope Cove on the other side of the country and sees a whole different way of living. A small town with a sense of community. They have events everyone in town participates in and everyone knows everyone else.
Which explains Jeremy, a very precocious 11year old being allowed to go home with him, a total stranger, by telling his mom on the phone, he's a friend of Sheriff Mack's.
Oliver starts reading his sister's journals to try and get to know her, but the scene where he really gets to know her and which touched me, was when he was baking her cupcake recipe and learned a little more about himself in the process.
Oliver is very attracted to Mack, he makes him feel safe, something Oliver has never felt before, he finally feels 'at home' somewhere, also a very new feeling for Oliver.
Mack is equally attracted to Oliver, but falling for a man is as new for him as the feeling of belonging is for Oliver. He never thought he was gay but now he's all over Oliver. And he likes it, a lot.
The falling in love part happens pretty fast, but there is a twist that makes them see things a little differently, so I can understand that helping them acknowledging their feelings faster than they might otherwise.
It's also this twist that changes the 'feel' of the book for me. Oliver makes a decision that I have trouble with, even if I understand him thinking it was the right thing to do. He rationalizes that he's doing it for Mack, but a quote earlier in the story stuck out for me:
“Oliver had never had people rely on him before; he’d never really built relationships of any kind that weren’t about work. He wasn’t sure if he liked it.”
That actually made me understand him a lot better.
The resolution was a little too easy for me. Mack not only forgives Oliver very easily, he changes much in his life without so much as a hiccup, at least that's how it felt for me.
The story is told from Oliver's POV so it might just be I didn't see and feel what Mack was going though to come to his conclusion.
I'm glad I read this one, it is a sweet and sexy story. Even with what Oliver does, it was still felt angst free and although there was some sadness about Maggie, it was a happy story of starting over and building a new life and of acceptance.
Declan and Haydn play supporting roles in this book and I'm really hoping they get their own stories.
Oliver has grown up in the foster care system, he is alone and that's pretty much the way he wants it. At least that is what he thinks he wants.
He has never allowed himself to get close to anyone, never had a family or even any friends really.
What he does have is a love for cooking and dreams of having his own restaurant one day.
“Cooking was all Oliver was good at—all he lived for—it had been his rescuer when he had been at his lowest, and it was his salvation now.”
Then Mack shows up telling him he had a sister and that everything she had is now his, it turns his world upside down.
He travels to Hope Cove on the other side of the country and sees a whole different way of living. A small town with a sense of community. They have events everyone in town participates in and everyone knows everyone else.
Which explains Jeremy, a very precocious 11year old being allowed to go home with him, a total stranger, by telling his mom on the phone, he's a friend of Sheriff Mack's.
Oliver starts reading his sister's journals to try and get to know her, but the scene where he really gets to know her and which touched me, was when he was baking her cupcake recipe and learned a little more about himself in the process.
Oliver is very attracted to Mack, he makes him feel safe, something Oliver has never felt before, he finally feels 'at home' somewhere, also a very new feeling for Oliver.
Mack is equally attracted to Oliver, but falling for a man is as new for him as the feeling of belonging is for Oliver. He never thought he was gay but now he's all over Oliver. And he likes it, a lot.
The falling in love part happens pretty fast, but there is a twist that makes them see things a little differently, so I can understand that helping them acknowledging their feelings faster than they might otherwise.
It's also this twist that changes the 'feel' of the book for me. Oliver makes a decision that I have trouble with, even if I understand him thinking it was the right thing to do. He rationalizes that he's doing it for Mack, but a quote earlier in the story stuck out for me:
“Oliver had never had people rely on him before; he’d never really built relationships of any kind that weren’t about work. He wasn’t sure if he liked it.”
That actually made me understand him a lot better.
The resolution was a little too easy for me. Mack not only forgives Oliver very easily, he changes much in his life without so much as a hiccup, at least that's how it felt for me.
The story is told from Oliver's POV so it might just be I didn't see and feel what Mack was going though to come to his conclusion.
I'm glad I read this one, it is a sweet and sexy story. Even with what Oliver does, it was still felt angst free and although there was some sadness about Maggie, it was a happy story of starting over and building a new life and of acceptance.
Declan and Haydn play supporting roles in this book and I'm really hoping they get their own stories.
January 24, 2014
All the ingredients were there and yet, it fell a little flat. I think the measurements might have been off.
Yep. Some tweaking with the amounts would have been beneficial. Where are those adorable teacups?
What was ‘off’ for me?
I don’t mind insta-love….but this was super speedy.
I’m all about gay-for-you….but this was too convenient a flip for me.
I like just enough angst to make me nervous…but this felt more like forced drama with an ending that was neatly tied up with a bow.
It was sweet and sexy, but the way everything mixed together felt a bit lumpy.
Oliver has nothing in his life except his solace in cooking. The kitchen is his safe haven and he’s a gifted artist when it comes to food. When he discovers he had a piece of the family he always dreamed of, yet she slipped away before he had a chance to love her, he’s crushed. His recently deceased sister’s best friend, the small town sheriff, brings Oliver across the country to connect with the ghosts she left behind. He slips into the comfort of the charming town and a certain tall, dark and handsome fella catches his heart. Panic and despair take over when he realizes once you give your heart away you can’t always take it back. Is it better to have loved and lost, or better to never have loved at all?
It was a hodgepodge of favorite m/m recipes, but not enough focus on any one to fill me up. I would have really enjoyed a bit of insight into Mack’s head. I think this could have been helpful. His disregard for the jack-ass move Oliver made near the end was hard for me to swallow. And then I nearly choked on the election bit. I live in a small town. A very small town where everybody know everybody and we have our town sheriff. We have cute little festivals too. I simply cannot fathom voting for your sheriff’s position at a festival like we vote for our chili cook-off contest. That was too over-the-top for me. The dialogue was almost preposterous at times and I was suffocating on the overuse of ‘fuck’.
I did like Oliver and I liked Mack even more. The secondary characters left an impression but unfortunately Hope Cove never really sucked me in.
Despite my misgivings the writing was lovely, the editing was clean, and I immediately took myself to amazon to whipserclick the purchase of the next book. Which I suppose, kind of speaks for itself. So, I’m gonna quit my bitching and see what’s next for the boys in Hope Cove.
*3 mishmash-meh-moving-on stars*
Yep. Some tweaking with the amounts would have been beneficial. Where are those adorable teacups?
What was ‘off’ for me?
I don’t mind insta-love….but this was super speedy.
I’m all about gay-for-you….but this was too convenient a flip for me.
I like just enough angst to make me nervous…but this felt more like forced drama with an ending that was neatly tied up with a bow.
It was sweet and sexy, but the way everything mixed together felt a bit lumpy.
Oliver has nothing in his life except his solace in cooking. The kitchen is his safe haven and he’s a gifted artist when it comes to food. When he discovers he had a piece of the family he always dreamed of, yet she slipped away before he had a chance to love her, he’s crushed. His recently deceased sister’s best friend, the small town sheriff, brings Oliver across the country to connect with the ghosts she left behind. He slips into the comfort of the charming town and a certain tall, dark and handsome fella catches his heart. Panic and despair take over when he realizes once you give your heart away you can’t always take it back. Is it better to have loved and lost, or better to never have loved at all?
It was a hodgepodge of favorite m/m recipes, but not enough focus on any one to fill me up. I would have really enjoyed a bit of insight into Mack’s head. I think this could have been helpful. His disregard for the jack-ass move Oliver made near the end was hard for me to swallow. And then I nearly choked on the election bit. I live in a small town. A very small town where everybody know everybody and we have our town sheriff. We have cute little festivals too. I simply cannot fathom voting for your sheriff’s position at a festival like we vote for our chili cook-off contest. That was too over-the-top for me. The dialogue was almost preposterous at times and I was suffocating on the overuse of ‘fuck’.
I did like Oliver and I liked Mack even more. The secondary characters left an impression but unfortunately Hope Cove never really sucked me in.
Despite my misgivings the writing was lovely, the editing was clean, and I immediately took myself to amazon to whipserclick the purchase of the next book. Which I suppose, kind of speaks for itself. So, I’m gonna quit my bitching and see what’s next for the boys in Hope Cove.
*3 mishmash-meh-moving-on stars*
November 18, 2013
3.5 feel good stars
This book will make you feel all puppies and rainbows. Make you feel those little butterflies in your stomach cause it’s sweet.
Its not too angsty
Its got really hot sex scenes
You got a chef
You got a cop
You got the 2 of them cookin up some seriously sexy sexy sexy ass sex scenes
And you got a dog
PERFECT
Oliver will make you wanna hug him really tight. Anyone who grew up in foster care makes my heart trip beats, makes me wanna show them that you are not a product of your upbringing
Mack is the epitome of a small town sheriff, classic.
“My heart echoes yours.”
Melt my heart
Mare~Slitsread
This book will make you feel all puppies and rainbows. Make you feel those little butterflies in your stomach cause it’s sweet.
Its not too angsty
Its got really hot sex scenes
You got a chef
You got a cop
You got the 2 of them cookin up some seriously sexy sexy sexy ass sex scenes
And you got a dog
PERFECT
Oliver will make you wanna hug him really tight. Anyone who grew up in foster care makes my heart trip beats, makes me wanna show them that you are not a product of your upbringing
Mack is the epitome of a small town sheriff, classic.
“My heart echoes yours.”
Melt my heart
Mare~Slitsread
January 2, 2016
5 Stars for John Orr's narration!
4.5 stars minus one full star for unnecessary miscommunication = 3.5 Stars for story.
I will start by saying this - 5 Stars for John Orr's narration! His narration was absolutely fantastic.
Orr was an absolute pleasure to listen to.
This should have been a slam dunk 5 star story for me. I am a sucker for this trope where a young gay man with a tragic past comes to a small town and gains love and acceptance. The story flowed well and everything was going great until...but I'll get back to that.
So this story is about Oliver Parrish, a former foster kid who's had a pretty hard life without a lot of love or help. He's all alone in the world and his only dream and ambition is to be an Executive Chef one day. When he trudges home after yet another exhausting fourteen-hour day he finds Owen Macklin "Mack" on his stoop looking "emotionally broken" and asking for Oliver, Oliver reluctantly lets Mack come up to his apartment. Mack delivers the news that the sister Oliver never knew existed, Maggie, had died and left Oliver her bakery and apartment. He asks Oliver to return with Mack to Hope Cove, Maine in order to close out Maggie's things and get to know the sister he never got a chance to meet.
Just an aside - the emotion Orr brings to the scene where Mack tells Oliver about Maggie's death is heartbreaking. Maggie had been Mack's best friend since fourth grade, and the utter devastation that Orr weaves through Mack's voice...was breathtaking.
Once Oliver returns with Mack to Hope Cove he decides he isn't comfortable staying at Maggie's apartment, so Mack offers his guest room for the night until the B&B opens the following day. But the two men get along, and that one night turns into a few days...and the two find themselves falling in love. Their relationship grows and the sex is HOT!
The narration keeps the story flowing really well, everything was going great...and then. Then there is a BIG MISCOMMUNICATION detour.
Oliver gets some news and runs back to Seattle without telling Mack where or why he's going. It turns into a thing.
Honestly, I felt this entire section was completely unnecessary and served no good purpose. Thankfully it's not a long period of stupidity and the romance and story gets back on track. Personally, I thought Mack forgave Oliver waaaaay too quickly and should have made him grovel. Seriously grovel. And then beg some more.
I loved that I got to know Maggie a bit through her journals, I loved the town, and the sexy times between Mack and Oliver were smokin' hot! Sure, there were a couple of little niggles during the story, but I thought the absolutely sublime narration quelled them quickly.
The story is sweet, I absolutely loved John Orr's narration (and cannot praise it enough), the sexy times are scorching, and it's got a lovely HEA.
RECOMMENDED!
Copy generously provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Reviews by Jessewave
4.5 stars minus one full star for unnecessary miscommunication = 3.5 Stars for story.
I will start by saying this - 5 Stars for John Orr's narration! His narration was absolutely fantastic.
Orr was an absolute pleasure to listen to.
This should have been a slam dunk 5 star story for me. I am a sucker for this trope where a young gay man with a tragic past comes to a small town and gains love and acceptance. The story flowed well and everything was going great until...but I'll get back to that.
So this story is about Oliver Parrish, a former foster kid who's had a pretty hard life without a lot of love or help. He's all alone in the world and his only dream and ambition is to be an Executive Chef one day. When he trudges home after yet another exhausting fourteen-hour day he finds Owen Macklin "Mack" on his stoop looking "emotionally broken" and asking for Oliver, Oliver reluctantly lets Mack come up to his apartment. Mack delivers the news that the sister Oliver never knew existed, Maggie, had died and left Oliver her bakery and apartment. He asks Oliver to return with Mack to Hope Cove, Maine in order to close out Maggie's things and get to know the sister he never got a chance to meet.
Just an aside - the emotion Orr brings to the scene where Mack tells Oliver about Maggie's death is heartbreaking. Maggie had been Mack's best friend since fourth grade, and the utter devastation that Orr weaves through Mack's voice...was breathtaking.
Once Oliver returns with Mack to Hope Cove he decides he isn't comfortable staying at Maggie's apartment, so Mack offers his guest room for the night until the B&B opens the following day. But the two men get along, and that one night turns into a few days...and the two find themselves falling in love. Their relationship grows and the sex is HOT!
The narration keeps the story flowing really well, everything was going great...and then. Then there is a BIG MISCOMMUNICATION detour.
Oliver gets some news and runs back to Seattle without telling Mack where or why he's going. It turns into a thing.
Honestly, I felt this entire section was completely unnecessary and served no good purpose. Thankfully it's not a long period of stupidity and the romance and story gets back on track. Personally, I thought Mack forgave Oliver waaaaay too quickly and should have made him grovel. Seriously grovel. And then beg some more.
I loved that I got to know Maggie a bit through her journals, I loved the town, and the sexy times between Mack and Oliver were smokin' hot! Sure, there were a couple of little niggles during the story, but I thought the absolutely sublime narration quelled them quickly.
The story is sweet, I absolutely loved John Orr's narration (and cannot praise it enough), the sexy times are scorching, and it's got a lovely HEA.
RECOMMENDED!
Copy generously provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Reviews by Jessewave
February 23, 2014
I really liked this! On to the next one!
February 24, 2015
This book went from four stars to five after I read the sequel. I just love this couple and their story made me smile, so after thinking about it for a while, I decided to update my rating.
Mack and Oliver, for me, are such a lovable couple. I adored their story from beginning to end and I was so looking forward to them getting a happy ending. I liked the fact Mack had known Oliver's sister, Maggie, before he knew Oliver. And I will admit, I thought the same thing Oliver did about those two. That didn't last long, and I was right back into rooting for this couple (not that I ever really stopped). But I did wonder how it would work out in the end.
The way Cate Ashwood dealt with the heart condition was brilliant! I liked that she didn't mention it and then it was all forgotten about, and I also liked that their reactions to it was realistic. It was a relief when I realized this would play a part in the story because I really do love hospital scenes. Yeah, I can admit it. I like when characters fear they're going to lose their loved ones.
This is the first book in a three book series, and it was definitely an amazing start. I love the whole small town vibe, and the cover on this blew me away, I'll admit it. I think it's very fitting and very pretty. But I also love Cate Ashwood's writing, and her characters are just so lovable.
I loved this book and I am so glad I read it. And because I know what happens to this couple in the next book makes me even happier. I have a feeling this will be my favorite book in the series, but I will have to see what happens. 5 stars!
Mack and Oliver, for me, are such a lovable couple. I adored their story from beginning to end and I was so looking forward to them getting a happy ending. I liked the fact Mack had known Oliver's sister, Maggie, before he knew Oliver. And I will admit, I thought the same thing Oliver did about those two. That didn't last long, and I was right back into rooting for this couple (not that I ever really stopped). But I did wonder how it would work out in the end.
The way Cate Ashwood dealt with the heart condition was brilliant! I liked that she didn't mention it and then it was all forgotten about, and I also liked that their reactions to it was realistic. It was a relief when I realized this would play a part in the story because I really do love hospital scenes. Yeah, I can admit it. I like when characters fear they're going to lose their loved ones.
This is the first book in a three book series, and it was definitely an amazing start. I love the whole small town vibe, and the cover on this blew me away, I'll admit it. I think it's very fitting and very pretty. But I also love Cate Ashwood's writing, and her characters are just so lovable.
I loved this book and I am so glad I read it. And because I know what happens to this couple in the next book makes me even happier. I have a feeling this will be my favorite book in the series, but I will have to see what happens. 5 stars!
November 9, 2013
This story had a trope that's a favourite of mine. A lonely person finding love and acceptance in a smaller town, not sure why that works for me but I like to read it. This story had elements that I enjoyed but it didn't work for me as much as I was hoping.
Oliver is a sous chef working hard to get ahead so he can start his own restaurant. He comes home from work one day to find Sheriff Owen Macklin waiting with news on his doorstep. Mack was best friends with the sister that Oliver never knew he had.
There's a sweet romance here but I wish that we had a scene or two from Mack's POV, he's more there to facilitate the happy ending for Oliver. I needed to understand where his head was at during a few moments but this seemed more focused on Oliver and I needed more balance.
One thing that gave me pause:
The town didn't really leave an impression with me, I hope that changes in book 2. This was a light easy read and I would definitely read any more in the series. Looking forward to Haydn's story.
Oliver is a sous chef working hard to get ahead so he can start his own restaurant. He comes home from work one day to find Sheriff Owen Macklin waiting with news on his doorstep. Mack was best friends with the sister that Oliver never knew he had.
There's a sweet romance here but I wish that we had a scene or two from Mack's POV, he's more there to facilitate the happy ending for Oliver. I needed to understand where his head was at during a few moments but this seemed more focused on Oliver and I needed more balance.
One thing that gave me pause:
The town didn't really leave an impression with me, I hope that changes in book 2. This was a light easy read and I would definitely read any more in the series. Looking forward to Haydn's story.
July 14, 2014
There is a lot of cake eating in this book and a deliciously looking MC cooking 24/7, which makes it especially difficult to swallow for salad eating readers.
****
****
April 20, 2017
(+)
The story is interesting, the Mcs are cute and their relationship is beautiful.
(-)
The suddenly gfy of the sheriff is not very credible.
The last part DRAMA addition ... WHY? I had prefered a HEA than a HFN
The story is interesting, the Mcs are cute and their relationship is beautiful.
(-)
The suddenly gfy of the sheriff is not very credible.
The last part DRAMA addition ... WHY? I had prefered a HEA than a HFN
April 2, 2015
Super sweet. really enjoyed this.
November 30, 2013
1.5 stars
Ugh, this is an emotional book. Not in a good sense. Actually, many things dont make sense at all. Too much melodrama for my taste.
What I don't like
What I like
This book saves me several bucks by preventing me from buying the sequel (or anything from the author, for that matter.)
Ugh, this is an emotional book. Not in a good sense. Actually, many things dont make sense at all. Too much melodrama for my taste.
What I don't like
What I like
This book saves me several bucks by preventing me from buying the sequel (or anything from the author, for that matter.)
November 19, 2017
Brokenhearted was cute but I wasn’t feelin it. I liked the characters and premise but it suffered from pacing problems and wasn’t dynamic enough to suit my tastes.
In addition to the flat, lifeless plot, there were a lot of aspects that were totally unrealistic. It felt as if it was written by a teenager who had no real world experience adulting. There was a fantasy world treatment of money and financial reality, medical and legal protocol, employment and air travel practicalities and more.
Finally, the conflict was forced and contrived. Even the author admits, “All his reasons for running in the first place seemed contrived and frankly, stupid.” Wow! If she knew it was contrived and stupid, why on earth write it that way!?
Charming characters and sugary sweetness that don’t even leave me feeling warm and fuzzy aren’t enough to compel me to continue the series. 2 stars.
In addition to the flat, lifeless plot, there were a lot of aspects that were totally unrealistic. It felt as if it was written by a teenager who had no real world experience adulting. There was a fantasy world treatment of money and financial reality, medical and legal protocol, employment and air travel practicalities and more.
Finally, the conflict was forced and contrived. Even the author admits, “All his reasons for running in the first place seemed contrived and frankly, stupid.” Wow! If she knew it was contrived and stupid, why on earth write it that way!?
Charming characters and sugary sweetness that don’t even leave me feeling warm and fuzzy aren’t enough to compel me to continue the series. 2 stars.
November 12, 2013
I really enjoyed Keeping Sweets, and Riding the Board was a nice short, so when I saw the premise for Brokenhearted I knew I had to read it.
I'm glad I did read it. What I got was a lovely, gentle, sweet book. One with two decent MC's, a lovely town in Hope Cove, no painful antagonists, nothing too major drama wise - just a slight tremor along the way.
When Mack - Hope Cove's Sheriff - goes to tell the stranger on the other side of America (Oliver) that he had a sister who has recently died, Mack's best friend, it isn't an easy thing to do. What he didn't count on was where it would take him. Likewise for Oliver, finding out he had a sister and she had died was a bit to take in for someone who had never known family and was a loner. The town of Hope Cove, its warmth and small town community, a shock to his system.
I have to say that even though Mack didn't have a POV he was just a delight and my favourite of the two MC's. I liked his laid-back, caring manner throughout. Oliver was nice, he had a few moments where I could have slapped him one but I could also understand his behaviour.
If Haydn gets a book next I would be pretty happy to read it. He deserves some loving. If you are looking for a nice romance that is easy reading, then you should think about the perfectly named Brokenhearted. Full review http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
I'm glad I did read it. What I got was a lovely, gentle, sweet book. One with two decent MC's, a lovely town in Hope Cove, no painful antagonists, nothing too major drama wise - just a slight tremor along the way.
When Mack - Hope Cove's Sheriff - goes to tell the stranger on the other side of America (Oliver) that he had a sister who has recently died, Mack's best friend, it isn't an easy thing to do. What he didn't count on was where it would take him. Likewise for Oliver, finding out he had a sister and she had died was a bit to take in for someone who had never known family and was a loner. The town of Hope Cove, its warmth and small town community, a shock to his system.
I have to say that even though Mack didn't have a POV he was just a delight and my favourite of the two MC's. I liked his laid-back, caring manner throughout. Oliver was nice, he had a few moments where I could have slapped him one but I could also understand his behaviour.
If Haydn gets a book next I would be pretty happy to read it. He deserves some loving. If you are looking for a nice romance that is easy reading, then you should think about the perfectly named Brokenhearted. Full review http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
February 21, 2016
3 stars.
OK cute book but... it was odd. Really I don't know what to think about it. It was VERY similar to your regular small town m/f romance with many of the tropes (including our hero declaring his love in front of the town). It was a bit like Robyn Carr does m/m.
I do not normally nitpick, but some explanation as to where Oliver's money is coming from to pay for his expensive hospital tests; how he can, on a sous chef pay, even afford health insurance (or if he even has any); and how he can afford to expand the bakery in Maine. Yeah he was the next of kin, but there were no legal procedures done whatsoever to get that money or even the deed to the bakery.
OK cute book but... it was odd. Really I don't know what to think about it. It was VERY similar to your regular small town m/f romance with many of the tropes (including our hero declaring his love in front of the town). It was a bit like Robyn Carr does m/m.
I do not normally nitpick, but some explanation as to where Oliver's money is coming from to pay for his expensive hospital tests; how he can, on a sous chef pay, even afford health insurance (or if he even has any); and how he can afford to expand the bakery in Maine. Yeah he was the next of kin, but there were no legal procedures done whatsoever to get that money or even the deed to the bakery.
Read
June 22, 2020Sometimes it’s better to not reread...
May 25, 2014
2.5 stars
BIG FAT SNARKY SPOILERS!!!!!!
This was a kinda drawn out and overly done story about an extremely emo long lost brother (Oliver) being brought to collect the belongings (which includes a bakery and apartment!) of a formerly unknown and now deceased sister. Oliver would've been able to meet said sister before her untimely demise if not for her male, just-like-a-brother, best friend, Mack, who discouraged the reunion as potentially unhealthy. Heh. However, once she croaked, the Bestie (who's straight) rushed out to bring Emo-boy Ollie (who's gay) from Seattle to Maine in order to "get to know" his sister. Now it's a good idea? Fail.
Mack, who never considered becoming romantically involved with the attractive and available female to whom he was so devoted (and not because he preferred guys), suddenly turned into the protagonist's gay-for-you forever love after only a few days. And before you go there, it had nothing to do with just losing the person closest to him and drifting alone on a sea of despair. Nope. He said there was no connection whatsoever. Our newbie fell hard, though Little Bro didn’t trust him to be in it for the long haul because of Mack’s career as town sheriff (and his occasional flirting with the town ladies…something else he denied.) However, not only was Big Mack fast to forever, he ended up morphing into a sort of stalker by calling …Every… Single… Day... for four months when Emolicious got some bad news and became a martyr, moving back to lonely Seattle to save Mack from heartache. Makes sense...not really.
Mr. Oh-Woe-Is-Me finally decided to come back to Maine, but don’tcha know it, he ended up in a 24 hour coma after his heart skipped a beat or two. (Damn, I'm fucked!) After Oliver’s no-show, Mack finally snapped and caught a flight to Seattle to bring back his quarry once and for all. He conveniently found our long suffering sad-sack in the hospital and convinced him of his undying love. (The last 120 days of daily unanswered phone calls was insufficient to express the depth of his devotion.)
So it was all butterflies and daisies... (Wait! It’s Maine at Christmas time.) ...So it was all spechel snowflakes and snow angels for our cutie pie little couple. For our grand finale, there was a cheesy and overly PC scene at the end with the whole town applauding the lovebirds' coming out (It was coupled with Mack’s reelection speech). Yeah. That whole scene pretty much made my eyes roll like marbles. Call me cynical.
Don’t misinterpret me. It was actually a very sweet story (and even came with a ridiculously impossible cupcake recipe!) Even though I personally like my stories a little more edgy and minus the ginormous bow tying everything up so nicely, I saw a lot of 5 star reviews. So if syrupy sweetness with figurative scampers through the meadow singing We’ve Got the Whole World In Our Hands is your thing, then this just might be your cuppa.
BIG FAT SNARKY SPOILERS!!!!!!
This was a kinda drawn out and overly done story about an extremely emo long lost brother (Oliver) being brought to collect the belongings (which includes a bakery and apartment!) of a formerly unknown and now deceased sister. Oliver would've been able to meet said sister before her untimely demise if not for her male, just-like-a-brother, best friend, Mack, who discouraged the reunion as potentially unhealthy. Heh. However, once she croaked, the Bestie (who's straight) rushed out to bring Emo-boy Ollie (who's gay) from Seattle to Maine in order to "get to know" his sister. Now it's a good idea? Fail.
Mack, who never considered becoming romantically involved with the attractive and available female to whom he was so devoted (and not because he preferred guys), suddenly turned into the protagonist's gay-for-you forever love after only a few days. And before you go there, it had nothing to do with just losing the person closest to him and drifting alone on a sea of despair. Nope. He said there was no connection whatsoever. Our newbie fell hard, though Little Bro didn’t trust him to be in it for the long haul because of Mack’s career as town sheriff (and his occasional flirting with the town ladies…something else he denied.) However, not only was Big Mack fast to forever, he ended up morphing into a sort of stalker by calling …Every… Single… Day... for four months when Emolicious got some bad news and became a martyr, moving back to lonely Seattle to save Mack from heartache. Makes sense...not really.
Mr. Oh-Woe-Is-Me finally decided to come back to Maine, but don’tcha know it, he ended up in a 24 hour coma after his heart skipped a beat or two. (Damn, I'm fucked!) After Oliver’s no-show, Mack finally snapped and caught a flight to Seattle to bring back his quarry once and for all. He conveniently found our long suffering sad-sack in the hospital and convinced him of his undying love. (The last 120 days of daily unanswered phone calls was insufficient to express the depth of his devotion.)
So it was all butterflies and daisies... (Wait! It’s Maine at Christmas time.) ...So it was all spechel snowflakes and snow angels for our cutie pie little couple. For our grand finale, there was a cheesy and overly PC scene at the end with the whole town applauding the lovebirds' coming out (It was coupled with Mack’s reelection speech). Yeah. That whole scene pretty much made my eyes roll like marbles. Call me cynical.
Don’t misinterpret me. It was actually a very sweet story (and even came with a ridiculously impossible cupcake recipe!) Even though I personally like my stories a little more edgy and minus the ginormous bow tying everything up so nicely, I saw a lot of 5 star reviews. So if syrupy sweetness with figurative scampers through the meadow singing We’ve Got the Whole World In Our Hands is your thing, then this just might be your cuppa.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2014
3.5 stars.
This book wasn't very angsty or dramatic, I would say it was mundane.
Oliver Parrish was making ends meet as a sous chef when Sheriff Owen Macklin aka Mack came to Seattle to tell him the sister he didn't know he even had was dead. Oliver was alone and knew nothing about his parents, so Mack was filling in the past for him. His sister who had been looking for him left him her bakery in Hope Cove, Maine. Overwhelmed about the news, Oliver decided to travel to Hope Cove to see if he would find some connection with the family he hadn't grown up with.
During this period of discovery, Oliver began falling in love with the town and the town's mayor but when he found out the real cause of his sister's death, Oliver decided to stop living in this fantasy and return to his life in Seattle. But Hope Cove and his sister's legacy was hard to leave behind, especially Sheriff Mack. Which place held his future, Seattle or Hope Cove and was he willing to fight for it?
I was a little disappointed because I was expecting something a little more angsty like Keeping Sweets. The story was just as sweet as Keeping Sweets and i love the writing. I may bump it up to a 4-star. I just needed more of an emotional pull and less of a predictable story.
This book wasn't very angsty or dramatic, I would say it was mundane.
Oliver Parrish was making ends meet as a sous chef when Sheriff Owen Macklin aka Mack came to Seattle to tell him the sister he didn't know he even had was dead. Oliver was alone and knew nothing about his parents, so Mack was filling in the past for him. His sister who had been looking for him left him her bakery in Hope Cove, Maine. Overwhelmed about the news, Oliver decided to travel to Hope Cove to see if he would find some connection with the family he hadn't grown up with.
During this period of discovery, Oliver began falling in love with the town and the town's mayor but when he found out the real cause of his sister's death, Oliver decided to stop living in this fantasy and return to his life in Seattle. But Hope Cove and his sister's legacy was hard to leave behind, especially Sheriff Mack. Which place held his future, Seattle or Hope Cove and was he willing to fight for it?
I was a little disappointed because I was expecting something a little more angsty like Keeping Sweets. The story was just as sweet as Keeping Sweets and i love the writing. I may bump it up to a 4-star. I just needed more of an emotional pull and less of a predictable story.
July 20, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It was perfect to uplift my foul mood. I adored Oliver and I really really liked Mack. Not gonna lie, I thought the relationship progressed way too fast, but I loved the romance and the sex between the two main characters. The supporting characters were good too, I adored Jeremy (the little kid). I loved how Maggie was so positive and that for some odd reason was rather refreshing. I was hoping that the story was more of a murder mystery and the two months apart and the gut-wrenching angst seemed sort of unnecessary at times.
Declan was great, Hayden was great!
I invited him in for tea and a blow job was by far my fav. line for some odd reason.
I would definitely read it again!
Declan was great, Hayden was great!
I invited him in for tea and a blow job was by far my fav. line for some odd reason.
I would definitely read it again!
February 26, 2017
I was rather surprised to see that I hadn't read anything by this author before. I certainly recognized the name, but I guess I have a lot of their books I want to read, but have never got around to reading. Well...this was certainly a great book to start with. And I got it on sale, so that makes me happy.
Despite the fact that I really wanted to smack Oliver for his thing at the end of the book, I did enjoy this. Because of the premise of the story, there was always going to be a sad undertone to the the story, but even with that it was really enjoyable. I do want some cupcakes now, though. (that is a common occurrence when i read books with cooks in them)
Very enjoyable and I am going to have to read the rest of this series.
Despite the fact that I really wanted to smack Oliver for his thing at the end of the book, I did enjoy this. Because of the premise of the story, there was always going to be a sad undertone to the the story, but even with that it was really enjoyable. I do want some cupcakes now, though. (that is a common occurrence when i read books with cooks in them)
Very enjoyable and I am going to have to read the rest of this series.
December 17, 2014
3.5 stars.
This was a solid read, I enjoyed the story a lot. It's a bit angst filled, but not to the point where I had to have my husband hide the kitchen knives.
The author did a great job capturing the feel of a small Maine village. There was just one part that had me a bit confused. The logistics of the main characters trip to Acadia National Park felt off to me. If the main characters were coming from Downeast Maine to come to the park they would have taken Route one, not the highway.
This is just me being a picky bitch. I still hold a grudge against Nora Roberts for giving Bar Harbor a traffic light.
Research people, do your research!
This was a solid read, I enjoyed the story a lot. It's a bit angst filled, but not to the point where I had to have my husband hide the kitchen knives.
The author did a great job capturing the feel of a small Maine village. There was just one part that had me a bit confused. The logistics of the main characters trip to Acadia National Park felt off to me. If the main characters were coming from Downeast Maine to come to the park they would have taken Route one, not the highway.
This is just me being a picky bitch. I still hold a grudge against Nora Roberts for giving Bar Harbor a traffic light.
Research people, do your research!
November 24, 2013
I was drawn by the cover, it's very beautiful!
The story started nicely, I was thinking it's a 5* read. But it got worse and I don't like the ending, it's too rush and the MC acted like an idiot.
The story started nicely, I was thinking it's a 5* read. But it got worse and I don't like the ending, it's too rush and the MC acted like an idiot.
August 29, 2015
3.5 Stars. I enjoyed it. I liked Oliver and Mack and the citizens of Hope Cove. I did not like the stupid thing Oliver did nor how easily Mack forgave. However, despite Maggie's death looming over them, it was a sweet read.
December 29, 2013
Done - it took me forever to finish and there is just one word for it: boring.
November 7, 2016
2.5 stars, never quite warmed to the MCs
September 15, 2014
Note: This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
When Sheriff Owen “Mack” Macklin arrives on the Seattle doorstep of Oliver Parrish, Oliver gets the shock of his life when Mack tells him that he has a sister named Maggie, but then tells him that she recently passed away. Mack convinces him to come to Hope Cove, Maine to learn more about the sister he would never get to meet, but who would have loved him unconditionally if she had.
It’s evident right from the beginning that Mack loved Maggie and Oliver’s assumption that the feelings were mutual is understandable, yet he finds it difficult to admit that he’s jealous of his dead sister as he feels a strong attraction to the gorgeous, virile man. Maggie apparently drowned, and since she left no survivors, her bakery and everything she owned belongs to Oliver now. As the story unfolds, Oliver learns that Mack never wanted her to get in touch with Oliver, fearing that their years apart and Mack’s glimpse into Oliver’s juvie record would make a relationship impossible. Yet it was Mack who carried out Maggie’s last wish when he brings Oliver to Maine. There he learns more about his beautiful and well-liked sister through the daily journals she kept. He even becomes enamored of the town and starts to think that he might be able to build a life there, especially when he finds out that Mack was not Maggie’s lover, and is actually attracted to Oliver.
Mack is not out and never before had sex with a man, but the feelings they develop for each other are powerful, and it looks like they might have a future together until Oliver gets devastating news about why Maggie died, and that news has a huge impact on his own life. He runs from all he’s started to love and leaves those behind him devastated.
Will the guys get back together? Can Oliver overcome his issues? Will Mack ever come out? Will it affect his re-election bid to the Sheriff’s office? The story was great and the characters, including the secondary characters interesting and endearing. I didn’t care for some of Oliver’s behaviors, but he redeems himself late in the story and recognizes how wrong his behaviors were. There is indeed a satisfying HEA, so lovers of M/M romance should like this one.
And the narrator? Oh, my! Get your fans out, ladies. John Orr has a wide range of personalities to share with you on this audiobook and his moans and sighs as the men have sex is so freakin’ realistic, you’ll be panting, so be careful where you listen to this one. I loved his voice. It’s the best narration I’ve heard so far, and I’ve heard many.
Don’t miss this beautiful love story, especially if you like some self-inflicted angst and pain and some sweet loving, with a little GFY thrown in for good measure. And make sure you get it as an audiobook so that you can share in the wonder that is John Orr’s narration.
4 stars for the book with a boost of .5 from the narrator= 4.5 stars
When Sheriff Owen “Mack” Macklin arrives on the Seattle doorstep of Oliver Parrish, Oliver gets the shock of his life when Mack tells him that he has a sister named Maggie, but then tells him that she recently passed away. Mack convinces him to come to Hope Cove, Maine to learn more about the sister he would never get to meet, but who would have loved him unconditionally if she had.
It’s evident right from the beginning that Mack loved Maggie and Oliver’s assumption that the feelings were mutual is understandable, yet he finds it difficult to admit that he’s jealous of his dead sister as he feels a strong attraction to the gorgeous, virile man. Maggie apparently drowned, and since she left no survivors, her bakery and everything she owned belongs to Oliver now. As the story unfolds, Oliver learns that Mack never wanted her to get in touch with Oliver, fearing that their years apart and Mack’s glimpse into Oliver’s juvie record would make a relationship impossible. Yet it was Mack who carried out Maggie’s last wish when he brings Oliver to Maine. There he learns more about his beautiful and well-liked sister through the daily journals she kept. He even becomes enamored of the town and starts to think that he might be able to build a life there, especially when he finds out that Mack was not Maggie’s lover, and is actually attracted to Oliver.
Mack is not out and never before had sex with a man, but the feelings they develop for each other are powerful, and it looks like they might have a future together until Oliver gets devastating news about why Maggie died, and that news has a huge impact on his own life. He runs from all he’s started to love and leaves those behind him devastated.
Will the guys get back together? Can Oliver overcome his issues? Will Mack ever come out? Will it affect his re-election bid to the Sheriff’s office? The story was great and the characters, including the secondary characters interesting and endearing. I didn’t care for some of Oliver’s behaviors, but he redeems himself late in the story and recognizes how wrong his behaviors were. There is indeed a satisfying HEA, so lovers of M/M romance should like this one.
And the narrator? Oh, my! Get your fans out, ladies. John Orr has a wide range of personalities to share with you on this audiobook and his moans and sighs as the men have sex is so freakin’ realistic, you’ll be panting, so be careful where you listen to this one. I loved his voice. It’s the best narration I’ve heard so far, and I’ve heard many.
Don’t miss this beautiful love story, especially if you like some self-inflicted angst and pain and some sweet loving, with a little GFY thrown in for good measure. And make sure you get it as an audiobook so that you can share in the wonder that is John Orr’s narration.
4 stars for the book with a boost of .5 from the narrator= 4.5 stars
November 11, 2013
4.5 stars
The first word that comes to mind is adorable…what an adorable story! But that’s not quite accurate or sufficient enough.
What an adorable, very real , very emotional yet astonishing in it’s simplicity story this is. That would cover most bases I think :)
From the moment you start reading you get drawn in. You find you want to see things happen.
As a reader you need things to happen. I noticed myself going from the table to the couch without even looking up from my kindle.
This story starts out with a quick introduction to Oliver and the life he’s leading. During the story you get more peeks into that. The ultimate fact is that Oliver is alone. He works and lives a very private life and loves to cook. When he finds Mack on his doorstep his life turns into a rollercoaster, against his will at times.
Through the eyes of an adorable Puppy named Riley, we learn more about Oliver and his way of life.
The other main character in this story, Mack, is the social opposite of Oliver. He’s the town sheriff “ Hope Cove” and is very well liked. He’s very familiar with the town and the people who live there. He is also the former best friend of Oliver’s deceased sister Maggie.
She, and her death, are reason why Oliver came with Mack to Hope Cove.
Mack searched for Oliver to bring him to the town his sister lived and loved to introduce him to her life, her bakery and to show him her diaries. With the help of Maggies belongings, Oliver indeed finds a connection to her, to Hope Cove but also a connection to Mack.
Hesitant at first, they move towards each other and when they finally allow themselves to act on their feelings, the sparks fly freely. A beautiful, tender yet hot connection is made.
Then something from the past and related to Maggie’s death threatens their newfound bond, to the point that Oliver feels he perhaps should leave the comfort of the arms and love of Mack and the town he grew to love. His friend and newly made business partner the only connection to Hope Cove.
When Oliver finally makes a decision and takes control over his own life again, fate has it’s own way of interfering.
Finding Mack and Oliver is an outstanding HEA.
This story touches you, pushes you in and connects you to the people of the Town. Author Cate Ashwood has a way of making you connect with the characters, her easy way of writing feels comfortable and nice.
After Keeping Sweets I had high expectations for this new novel and I will definitely keep reading her stories.
For now I’m patiently waiting for the next book in this series, wondering if that perhaps will be about Hayden or about deputy sheriff Declan…….
Review posted at http://sidlove.com/2013/11/08/release...
The first word that comes to mind is adorable…what an adorable story! But that’s not quite accurate or sufficient enough.
What an adorable, very real , very emotional yet astonishing in it’s simplicity story this is. That would cover most bases I think :)
From the moment you start reading you get drawn in. You find you want to see things happen.
As a reader you need things to happen. I noticed myself going from the table to the couch without even looking up from my kindle.
This story starts out with a quick introduction to Oliver and the life he’s leading. During the story you get more peeks into that. The ultimate fact is that Oliver is alone. He works and lives a very private life and loves to cook. When he finds Mack on his doorstep his life turns into a rollercoaster, against his will at times.
Through the eyes of an adorable Puppy named Riley, we learn more about Oliver and his way of life.
The other main character in this story, Mack, is the social opposite of Oliver. He’s the town sheriff “ Hope Cove” and is very well liked. He’s very familiar with the town and the people who live there. He is also the former best friend of Oliver’s deceased sister Maggie.
She, and her death, are reason why Oliver came with Mack to Hope Cove.
Mack searched for Oliver to bring him to the town his sister lived and loved to introduce him to her life, her bakery and to show him her diaries. With the help of Maggies belongings, Oliver indeed finds a connection to her, to Hope Cove but also a connection to Mack.
Hesitant at first, they move towards each other and when they finally allow themselves to act on their feelings, the sparks fly freely. A beautiful, tender yet hot connection is made.
Then something from the past and related to Maggie’s death threatens their newfound bond, to the point that Oliver feels he perhaps should leave the comfort of the arms and love of Mack and the town he grew to love. His friend and newly made business partner the only connection to Hope Cove.
When Oliver finally makes a decision and takes control over his own life again, fate has it’s own way of interfering.
Finding Mack and Oliver is an outstanding HEA.
This story touches you, pushes you in and connects you to the people of the Town. Author Cate Ashwood has a way of making you connect with the characters, her easy way of writing feels comfortable and nice.
After Keeping Sweets I had high expectations for this new novel and I will definitely keep reading her stories.
For now I’m patiently waiting for the next book in this series, wondering if that perhaps will be about Hayden or about deputy sheriff Declan…….
Review posted at http://sidlove.com/2013/11/08/release...
February 9, 2019
4* mit der Tendenz zu 4,5* :-)
“Gebrochenes Herz” erzählt eine ruhige, sich gut entwickelnde Geschichte von zwei Männern, die eigentlich nichts weniger wollen als eine Beziehung und doch gibt es etwas zwischen Mack und Oliver, dass sich nicht einfach wieder verdrängen lässt.
Leider erfährt Oliver erst nach dem Tod der Schwester, dass er gar nicht “alleine” auf der Welt gewesen war und das es nichts gab, was seiner Schwester mehr bedeutet hätte, als endlich ihren Bruder kennenzulernen. Leider konnte sie dies nicht mehr selbst umsetzen, aber ihr bester Freund Mack, der absolut dagegen war, einen “Wildfremden” zu suchen, möchte Maggie nun gerne ihren letzten Wunsch erfüllen und sucht nach diesem Bruder.
Oliver, der bewusst keine näheren, geschweige denn persönliche Kontakte pflegen will, da er immer wieder seine Bezugspersonen verloren hat oder bitter von ihnen enttäuscht wurde, begleitet Mack trotz aller Bedenken nach Maine (mich hätte er nicht lange bitten brauchen ;-) Maine ist ein Traum).
Wie kleine Städtchen und ihre Einwohner manchmal so sind, wird Oliver mehr oder weniger einfach von den ganzen Eindrücken und auch einigen Personen “überrollt” und merkt gar nicht, wie gut ihm der Aufenthalt in Hope Cove tut. Das Erbe seiner Schwester mag er so gar nicht wahr-, geschweige denn annehmen, obwohl er dadurch die große Chance hätte, endlich seinen großen Traum zu verwirklichen, aber dies würde “Nähe” bedeuten…
Mack braucht viel Geduld, um Oliver von sich, von Hope Cove und allem was dazugehört zu überzeugen. Als dann jedoch herauskommt woran Maggie verstorben ist, ist Oliver am Ende seiner Kräfte und tut das, was er am besten kann…
Aber auch hier zeigen Hope Cove und seine Mitbewohner wahre Größe und auch was Freunde wirklich wert sein können. Man lernt enge Freunde und Kollegen von Mack kennen, die ganz schnell auch zu Olivers Freunden werden, gerade Haydn ist ein Mann, der mit seiner Art den zurückhaltenden Oliver einfach “überrollt”. Jede dieser Personen ist von Cate Ashwood so beschrieben worden, dass man mehr von ihnen wissen möchte. Da es sich bei der Hope-Cove-Serie ja um Übersetzungen aus dem englischen handelt, habe ich auf die DSP-Seite gespitzt und so weiß ich nun, dass Buch 2 von Declan (Mack’s Kollege) und das 3. Buch dann von Haydn erzählen wird.
“Gebrochenes Herz” erzählt eine ruhige, sich gut entwickelnde Geschichte von zwei Männern, die eigentlich nichts weniger wollen als eine Beziehung und doch gibt es etwas zwischen Mack und Oliver, dass sich nicht einfach wieder verdrängen lässt.
Leider erfährt Oliver erst nach dem Tod der Schwester, dass er gar nicht “alleine” auf der Welt gewesen war und das es nichts gab, was seiner Schwester mehr bedeutet hätte, als endlich ihren Bruder kennenzulernen. Leider konnte sie dies nicht mehr selbst umsetzen, aber ihr bester Freund Mack, der absolut dagegen war, einen “Wildfremden” zu suchen, möchte Maggie nun gerne ihren letzten Wunsch erfüllen und sucht nach diesem Bruder.
Oliver, der bewusst keine näheren, geschweige denn persönliche Kontakte pflegen will, da er immer wieder seine Bezugspersonen verloren hat oder bitter von ihnen enttäuscht wurde, begleitet Mack trotz aller Bedenken nach Maine (mich hätte er nicht lange bitten brauchen ;-) Maine ist ein Traum).
Wie kleine Städtchen und ihre Einwohner manchmal so sind, wird Oliver mehr oder weniger einfach von den ganzen Eindrücken und auch einigen Personen “überrollt” und merkt gar nicht, wie gut ihm der Aufenthalt in Hope Cove tut. Das Erbe seiner Schwester mag er so gar nicht wahr-, geschweige denn annehmen, obwohl er dadurch die große Chance hätte, endlich seinen großen Traum zu verwirklichen, aber dies würde “Nähe” bedeuten…
Mack braucht viel Geduld, um Oliver von sich, von Hope Cove und allem was dazugehört zu überzeugen. Als dann jedoch herauskommt woran Maggie verstorben ist, ist Oliver am Ende seiner Kräfte und tut das, was er am besten kann…
Aber auch hier zeigen Hope Cove und seine Mitbewohner wahre Größe und auch was Freunde wirklich wert sein können. Man lernt enge Freunde und Kollegen von Mack kennen, die ganz schnell auch zu Olivers Freunden werden, gerade Haydn ist ein Mann, der mit seiner Art den zurückhaltenden Oliver einfach “überrollt”. Jede dieser Personen ist von Cate Ashwood so beschrieben worden, dass man mehr von ihnen wissen möchte. Da es sich bei der Hope-Cove-Serie ja um Übersetzungen aus dem englischen handelt, habe ich auf die DSP-Seite gespitzt und so weiß ich nun, dass Buch 2 von Declan (Mack’s Kollege) und das 3. Buch dann von Haydn erzählen wird.
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